The former IKM-Manning teacher accused of sexual abuse of students has received the maximum sentences for all six charges she faced, totaling 33 years in prison.
Cassidy (Branning) Kraus, 24, was sentenced in court on Monday.
Kraus was arrested in October and charged with third degree sexual abuse, two counts of lascivious acts with a child and three counts of dissemination of obscene material to minors.
A plea agreement was filed in January in which Kraus agreed to plead guilty to all six charges.
“The Carroll County law enforcement community has long collaborated in developing an investigative protocol with our Sexual Assault Response Team. We have a multidisciplinary approach involving medical providers, schools, social welfare agencies and law enforcement. The focus is on detection and investigative techniques,” said Carroll County Attorney John Werden who represented the state in the case. “The philosophy and training is clear: It makes no difference whether the defendant is male or female nor if the victim is male or female. The cost of incarceration is far less than the future child victimization which is prevented by removing sex offenders from our community.”
The charges of third degree sexual abuse and two counts of lascivious acts with a child are class “C” felonies, which Kraus received the maximum 10 year sentence for each charge. The three counts of dissemination of obscene material to minors are serious misdemeanors, which Kraus received the maximum sentence of one year in prison for each charge.
Each sentence is ordered to be served consecutively, making for a total of 33 years in prison.
According to criminal complaints within the case, Kraus performed sex acts with a minor victim in January of last year and committed lascivious acts with a minor victim in May of last year. Criminal complaints also state Kraus disseminated obscene material to three minor victims through the mobile app Snapchat. The male victims were between the ages of 13 and 14.
A report was made last August to IKM-Manning School District alleging Kraus sent inappropriate photos of a sexual nature to students.
The school district put Kraus on leave and began an investigation involving cooperation with local law enforcement.
During the investigation, it was discovered Kraus sent inappropriate photos through Snapchat on or around May of last year.
The school district received a resignation in lieu of termination from Kraus on Aug. 25. Kraus was a middle school reading teacher.
